Category Archives: Health

Gym episode 29/02: I AM the Biggest Loser!

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Monday was the 20-day weigh in. The half way mark. How had I done? By the way my clothes were fitting, I knew I had lost some weight. Remember the Trainer’s advice when we first started?

He: How much you weigh?
Me: 225
He: Ok. You going to stay away from the scale for awhile.
Me: Ok

I was accustomed to weighing once per week! Hmmmmm…..I hear my Physiotherapist saying “I told you so” as he had often told me not to weigh so often.

It was time. I gladly stepped on the scale. This was the reading.

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I quickly did the calculation. 9 pounds !!!!!

I LOST 9 POUNDS IN 20 DAYS!!! Holy moly!

What changes did I make?
1. Hired an awesome, inspiring trainer
2. Followed his instructions! These included no carb in the evening, no late night noshing, use protein powder to help curb cravings, not much rest between sets, use my mind to tell myself that I can lift more weights….do more reps.
3. Hired an awesome, inspiring trainer!

Here is what I did for exercise for January and February.

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G = gym (includes Saturday Pilates)
H = exercised at home
S = swimming
W = walking
E = exercised at work (45 mins cardio)

Damion and I were talking about goals for the next 20 days and I said “I am prepared to do as much as my physical body will allow me to do…guaranteed.”

Looking forward to discovering what my machine aka body can do.

Hoorayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

Gym Episode 26/02: TGIF

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Friday was another day when I would be exercising twice. That did not phase Damion and the intensity was just as it always was.

I ate Steel Cut Oats prior to the work out. I am going to vary what I eat to see what gives me most energy.   Recent studies suggest that protein and good fats fuel you better.

After the usual warm up, we did a full body workout. Instead of doing the sprints on the bike like I am accustomed to, Damion took me out to the car park. I had to sprint up and down while he timed me. I improved!

The lunges and squats are still a problem. My balance is off and so I feel like I am going to topple over.

That’s why me and the treadmill are NOT friends. Didn’t matter because the Trainer was not leaving it out. Upstairs we went, and I tried. I really tried, but 15% incline at between 3 and 3.5 mph is quite challenging.

I ended my workout on the elliptical.

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Gym episode 24/02: You’re here for a special purpose

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I WAS at the gym for a special purpose but that’s not what this post is about :).

No Trainer today so I was on my own. Tuesday he had put me on the treadmill at 15% incline and 3.0 mph. Killer! He told me to do it again on Wednesday and that he would know if I didn’t do it when he was with me the next time. That sounded like a warning. 😕

Did 5 minutes on the bike to make sure muscles were warm. Then I headed upstairs. I steeled my mind and said “let’s do it”. On Tuesday he had stood beside me for the duration so I pretended he was there on Wednesday. Can’t say that it worked since I held on to the handle a few times and lowered the speed at intervals. See the results below.

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Next it was an hour of yoga….just what I needed after that treadmill workout. It was the first time with that teacher, who was a thin whisp of a girl. Naturally, she effortlessly moved from pose to pose. Meanwhile I could hear myself grunting. Ooof. 😂😁

The best part of the yoga class is the end, when you are encouraged to choose whatever pose your body felt like geting into. Yeah….freestyle yoga. This was mine…👍

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The teacher said some inspirational words as we were winding down, including a version of the title of this blog post. She encouraged us to continue the yoga practice by giving love, saying kind words etc. A great way to start my Wednesday.

Looking forward to a day off on Thursday, then back wih Damion Daniel on Friday morning. Excited to see what my body can become, if I just keep pushing in the gym and eating clean.

Gym Episode 22/02: “Every rep counts”

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I went through Monday’s lunchtime gym session with Damion Daniel thinking “be careful what you wish for Ms Yamfoot” :?. I’d told him on the weekend that I wanted to do more exercises for the butt. That meant squats and lunges were included.

My knees are getting accustomed to these exercises and I’ve actually not been bothered by them so much, since stepping up my quantity of exercise.

I had to abandon the 10lb dumbells the Trainer had given me to use while doing the lunges. A few times too, I was about to topple over. Ever watchful, he was there to ensure that didn’t happen. Mek mi tell yuh……my thighs certainly felt the burn!

The key to maximizing that move is to keep upright and also get your knee touching the floor when you go down, and drive up using your glutes. I’d watched him last week executing those in perfect form so I knew what it looked like. Heart was willing but thighs and butt were weak. I kept reminding him that I had to go back to work, when I tried to pause during a set. “Every rep counts,” he said, followed by some encouragement. 

To finish up, did 10 minutes of the elliptical. It gets easier each day.

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#Gym Episode 16/02: A walk in the park

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Eating food is so easy. But getting rid of the effects of overeating is no walk in the park. A park is where some of my workout took place on Tuesday in my quest to burn fat and arrive at 50 with less of me.

A planned session with the Trainer had to be cancelled due to his last minute committments. I was trying to weasel out of the work out. He was not having it and instructed me to do cardio. I didn’t feel like. My leg was burning. I had work to go home and do. The excuses came fast and furious. Try as I might….no luck. I didn’t want to defy him and in turn disappoint myself. I had to act as my own motivator. I suggested that I could go to the park and he said yes.

Off I skipped, avoiding the vagrant by KFC. Stopped beside the coconut man to stretch on a nearby wall. “Mind yuh push down the wall,” he quipped. Doh worry…ah not dat strong…..yet.

Walked two laps, then jogged one, then back to walking half a lap then did some sprints like I was Usain Bolt. 😁:)😂☺

That was 30 minutes and I had worked up a nice sweat. See?
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Gym episode 15/02: Just keep pushing

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Boy, did I need this today! No entry yesterday meant it was a rest day of sorts. I did a few swim strokes in the ocean but nothing much.

We had determined that Monday was going to be a cardio day and I would be working on my own. I knew I wouldn’t have felt like exercising afer work so decided to go in the morning when the gym was empty. Without any confirmation from the Trainer, I had determined that 30 minutes was enough. I was to later learn otherwise.

It was not working for me. I just did not feel like working out. And it wasn’t like it was early. I got there minutes to 8. I am SO NOT A MORNING PERSON! But, I am on a mission, ent? Hopped on the bike for 20 minutes. Evidence….

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Gym Episode 13/02: Two #exercise sessions in one day

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Pilates class is a fixture on my Saturday schedule. It is gentle on my body so it was no problem to schedule a session with the trainer before the class. The gym was late in opening so I made hay in the meantime. How?

Set the stopwatch, walked down the road to this playing field and jogged around it once. The grass is kind to one’s knees.

Walked back up to the gym and it was still locked. Imagine they kept the PM waiting too! I continued walking and by the time I turned back, the person came.

Went straight into the morning’s exercises:-
Incline press, shoulder press, bicep curl, leg press and lunges. I tolerated the shoulder press much better than Tuesday.
In between, there was elliptical sprinting and on the bicycle with varying intensity.
I gotta give cyclists who ride up steep hills their props!

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#Gym episode 12/02: Why stop?

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I was late for my session today because of work meetings which ran late. It meant that the trainer had less time to spend with me. The routine today was:-

10 mins elliptical (I increased the resistance every minute)
Ab exercises (3 on the machines and 3 on the floor)
In between the ab exercises, there was sprinting on the bike for about 3 mins)

The trainer had to leave me during the last set on the last machine and gave instructions that I should finish up with 15 mins on the elliptical. I thought “why stop there?” So this is what I decided to do.

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After all, this is a challenge, isn’t it! If my leg muscles were not in need of repair, I would have done more.

Rewind <<<<<<<>> Continue reading →

Maybe more #protein is the answer

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Had dinner at a hotel tonight with some friends visiting. As I normally do, my eyes headed to the dessert part of the menu first. Was there really anything to entice me? Nah….fortunately 👍.

Grouper to start, then carrot soup and main course was lamb with a chick pea and tomato salad. After that, any thoughts I had about ice cream went through the window.

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So I was pleased that I resisted the dessert. The petit fours came and I still was not moved to have one. Filled up on unsweetened ginger and orange tea.

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Small victory tonight. Long shall they continue with the result adding up to allowing me to wear a dress like this and not feel self conscious.

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#Gym Episode 9/02: I will survive #weighttraining

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Day 1 done and dusted….

Full body workout with Damion Daniel. Quads, hamstring, chest, shoulder, biceps, lats, deltoids. Nope. I am not a novice. I know my muscles. I also know which of them have issues. A lot!!!!! Hopefully as they get stronger and I eat better, the niggles will disappear. Must look after my cervical spine too.

As I was struggling with finishing some of the reps while Damion was gently encouraging me (i.e. not the way Jillian Michaels does it), I asked myself, what is the value of hiring a trainer?

I got the answer when, after he switched up the order of some of the upper body exercises, mi…..couldn’t……repeat…..one…..which……I normally……breeze……through! And mind you, the weights were not heavy. There is also that accountability factor. Trusting me to motivate me clearly hasn’t worked out so well the older I have got.

I guess that’s why he looks like this….

Champion Bodybuilder, Damion Daniel

…..and me like this 😁😂😯;)😮😦😨

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